Sabie, Mpumalanga 1-7 October 2023
Overview
The Fanie Botha Hiking Trail is a popular and challenging hiking trail located in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa.
Location: The Sabie area of Mpumalanga
Length: The trail is a multi-day hike, typically completed in 2 – 5 days.
Difficulty: This trail is of moderate difficulty, suitable for novice and experienced hikers who are reasonably fit. It includes steep ascents and descents, river crossings, and rugged terrain.
Scenic Beauty: The trail winds through indigenous forests, past crystal-clear streams, and offers panoramic vistas of the surrounding mountains and valleys.
Accommodation: The trail provides overnight huts with flush toilets (bar one), showers (solar/cold) and lapas with ample firewood.
Wildlife: While hiking, you may encounter various wildlife species native to the area, including birds, small mammals, and insects. Disappointingly we spotted only one boomslang. Not a mamba in sight.
Permits: Hiking the Fanie Botha Trail requires obtaining permits, which can be obtained from the relevant authorities. We booked through Fagala Voet. Easy and painless.
Season: The best time to hike the Fanie Botha Hiking Trail is during the dry season, typically from May to September, when the weather is cooler, and the risk of heavy rainfall is lower. We went first week in October. It was hot and dry.
Guided Hikes: The trails are well-marked. A guide would be superfluous, but whatever makes you feel comfortable.
The Fanie Botha Hiking Trail offers a challenging yet rewarding adventure for anyone seeking to explore the natural beauty and rugged terrain of Mpumalanga, South Africa.
Hikers should be well-prepared, physically fit, and equipped for multi-day trekking when embarking on this trail.
Exploring Mpumalanga: Nature, Culture, and Adventure
Tucked away in the northeastern part of South Africa, you’ll find the province of Mpumalanga. Known for its breathtaking sunrises and diverse landscapes, Mpumalanga beckons travellers to experience its unique offerings.
Nature’s Bounty: Mpumalanga boasts a wealth of natural wonders – soaring mountain ranges, dense forests, flowing rivers, and cascading waterfalls. Wildlife is abundant, with opportunities to spot iconic animals like lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, and rhinos in the world-famous Kruger National Park.
Rich Cultural Tapestry: Mpumalanga is home to a mix of ethnic groups, each with its own traditions. Explore cultural villages, partake in traditional festivals, and savour South African cuisine.
Outdoor Adventures: If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, Mpumalanga is your playground. Hiking, mountain biking, birdwatching, fishing, white-water rafting, and hot air ballooning are just a few of the activities.
Historical Insights: Delve into the region’s past by visiting historical sites like Pilgrim’s Rest, a living museum town, and battlefields from the Anglo-Boer War.
The Panorama Route: Take a scenic drive along the Panorama Route, where you’ll be treated to sweeping views of iconic landmarks like God’s Window, Three Rondavels, and serene waterfalls.
Agricultural Heartland: Mpumalanga plays a significant role in South Africa’s agriculture, producing crops like maize, citrus fruits, and subtropical fruits. The naartjies, even this late in the season, were delicious.
Eco-Conscious Tourism: The province is committed to sustainable tourism and eco-conservation efforts, ensuring a responsible and enjoyable experience for travellers.
Sabie
Mpumalanga, which translates to “the place where the sun rises” in the Swazi language, lives up to its name with captivating morning skies. The Sabie area stands out as a microcosm of this diverse province, offering a range of experiences that reveal South Africa’s natural wonders.
Here, you’ll encounter the dynamic spectacle of Mac Mac Falls and Lone Creek Falls, along with the sweeping vistas from God’s Window.
The Sabie area caters to hikers and photographers alike, with its verdant forests, teeming birdlife, and elusive wildlife. The town of Sabie itself welcomes visitors by providing an opportunity to engage with local culture and history.
The Fanie Botha Hiking Trail in Sabie, offers a distinctive hiking experience, showcasing the natural beauty and diverse landscapes of the region.
Cast Of Crazies
Fanie Botha: Rest Day (Ceylon Hut)
We took a rest day at the start of the hike, at Ceylon Hut, to recover from the flight and the 4-hour drive from OR Tambo International airport. But also to acclimatise. Mpumalanga is approximately 1000m above sea-level. We sea-level-dwellers don’t do well at altitude.
It gave us time to catch up and explore the town of Sabie while getting last minute supplies and forgotten meds …um.. *cough* *cough* after a LEISURELY breakfast of polla eggs, vetkoek and butternut soup! The butternut soup was a combination of all the night before’s braai leftovers. This is the CLOSEST Papa Grizzly is getting to his ‘Huntsman’s Stew’.
Legend has it that on the last day of the hike, all the leftover food, including snacks, is dumped into a pot. We had our version of Huntsman’s Stew on day 0. Heston Blumenthal verby!
In hindsight this was a good thing. The weather was bleak and Sabie was drenched in cloud and mist. It also meant out visit to God’s Window was a bit of a downer. God had pulled the blinds.
But not all was lost. We managed to take some excellent pics while befriending the locals.
Day 1: Ceylon Hut - Maritzbos Hut (9kms)
The first day of our hike dawned hot and sunny, to our relief. We were to start at 8am but the group was so enthusiastic, we were all ready at 7am. After many photo ops, we left Ceylon Hut at 7.30am, impressed with our own readiness!
We did not require raingear for the rest of the hike.
Papa Grizzly led the way to Lone Creek falls in bright sunshine along the pine-lined path. Soon we reached the falls where we took a break. It was 9am and already blistering hot.
We had been warned not to drink the river due to e-coli contamination. It seemed sacrilege that such crystal-clear water was undrinkable. Although a few brave souls were not put off. With no dodgy aftereffects.
We spotted a boomslang sunning itself on a rock overlooking the river but it slithered off into the grass before any of the humans could take a pic.
I was slightly disconcerted by the activity around us; roads leading to the many waterfalls and the sound of cars and machinery. The hike is surrounded by acres of pine forests managed by SAFCOL (South African Forestry Company SOC Limited). There was also cell phone reception throughout and at all the huts. Not quite the escape from the rat-race I anticipated.
We reached Maritzbos Hut at 11am, before our portered bags. Luckily, we had carried our lunch and could enjoy it before exploring our first nights’ accommodation.
The huts are basic hikers’ huts. At Ceylon Hut we had electricity and hot water. At Maritzbos we had hot showers (solar geysers), flush toilets but no electricity. All the huts have lapas with plenty of firewood, and the kindling set out, ready. Which was a kind touch.
We met our porter, James and his team, who promised to bring us mompani worms.
We spent the rest of the day exploring the nearby river and some napped after a non-arduous day. The hike was short and sweet, but the heat, humidity and altitude took some acclimatisation. Easy wena, easy!
Day 1 Highlights
Day 2: Maritzbos Huts – The Stables (14 kms)
Again, our cast of crazies was over-eager to start the day and were raring to go at 7am.
This would turn out to be my favourite day. The trail passed the river we had played in the day before and goes into indigenous forest with plenty of hill-ups to the various waterfalls, viz. Cathedral Falls and Chockstone Falls.
We exited the forest at 11am and took a longish break to regroup. It was hot and muggy and some decided to take a nap before lunch.
Thereafter it was a flat walk to the Stables hut.
Day 2 Highlights
Day 3: The Stables – Mac Mac Hut (16km)
This proved to be the longest day in terms of kilometres walked. The first third was easy walking along a jeep track where we were spoiled with panoramic views of the surrounding forests. Miles and miles of trees and a beautiful waterfall, which I am not going to try to name. It could have been the Mac Mac falls. We summited a koppie and were a third of the way into our day’s hiking by 8.30am.
We were so proud of ourselves. But never underestimate Mother Nature. We descended the koppie and the trail wound around hills upon hills to a forest. We were relieved to be out of the heat and grateful for the canopy of trees. Only to be surprised by a beautiful river at 11.30am.
What good hikers were we. We were, according to the rudimentary map, more that halfway. We loved our water stop so much, we stayed for lunch. It was a good move. Once we left the forest after lunch, we had to contend with many more hills. Although we didn’t have to climb any of them, they went on forever.
At several points I wondered if we were on the right trail, despite the clearly marked trail.
Only when I saw the roof of the hut, did I feel confident we were on the right path. It was 3pm. By hiking standards it was a pretty good time, but we had underestimated the terrain. The map is not clear that the trail winds around many many hills. And to add insult to injury, to get to the hut itself required a short but stiff climb. Now we’re hiking!
It was by no means a hard day, but mentally it wasn’t what we expected.
Mac-Mac hut had the best view but the amenities were, comparatively, the worst of the huts. The shower pipes had been stolen so we had to wash in a bucket filled from a jo-jo tank. And instead of flush toilets… the dreaded long-drop! Fortunately, the trail was not so busy that you smelled what previous hikers had for lunch.
The huts were well-constructed but in need of TLC. SAFCOL lacked the budget to maintain them properly, but having said that, they were clean and more than adequate for our needs.
After Naukluft, I had no complaints. The bucket shower was wonderful after a long day on the trail. Most important was the group’s fantastic spirit. We almost had to tie Groot Lepel down to keep her out of the kitchen, despite a gruelling day on the trail!
Day 3 Highlights
Day 4: Mac Mac Hut – President Burger hut (6km)
The last day of our hike took us 1.5 hours to complete. It was way too short. In retrospect we should have opted to end the hike at Graskop hike. Next time! I think we were all sad it was over too soon.
But the team was in excellent spirits, so much so, that Aunty Neesha led us in a pilates class, and Suad made us do some yoga stretches.
We made the most of our free time by going into town to make Jumuah at the mosque in Sabie, followed by lunch at the local Halal Wimpy, before visiting Pilgrim’s Rest.
After supper that night, we finally had our mompani worms!
Mopani worms are a type of caterpillar found in Southern Africa, specifically in regions like South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana. They are the larvae of the Emperor Moth and the African Emperor Moth. Mopani worms are traditionally consumed in many African communities as a valuable source of protein. They are often dried and can be rehydrated for cooking, offering a distinct flavour.
These caterpillars hold cultural importance and are used in various traditional rituals and ceremonies. Additionally, they serve as a source of income for rural communities, as they are harvested and sold locally and even exported to other countries. To ensure their long-term survival, sustainable harvesting practices are vital, especially given concerns about environmental factors and habitat loss.
Mopani worms represent a unique and culturally significant food source, playing a crucial role in the culinary traditions and economies of the regions where they are found.
Day 4 Highlights
Conclusion
The Fanie Botha hike is a wonderful hike for anyone interested in multi-day hiking. The pine forests are a novelty for those of us accustomed to fynbos and Afromontane forests.
Although we didn’t do the Blyde River Canyon this time, we will definitely be back to explore more of Mpumalanga!
Watch this space…
Thank you
To every single person who made this vacation-hike amazing… I thank you from the bottom of my heart!
I love you all. Madly!
Photo and video creds to:
Suad
Nicky
Wasielah
Shakira
Abdullah
Soraya
Disclaimer: To protect the innocent no videos can be posted! *twerk* *twerk*
An absolutely stunning read… Gave me those chuckles again.. Lol… What an amazing team and hike leaders… Chucky and his Bride (the planner)… Amazing partnership👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻… And I thank you😁
Wonderful memories!
Well done all, sounds like much fun! Perfect cast too 😉